Prestone recognizes the loyal and hard-working mechanics in the country that they included them in their 90th anniversary back in 2018. They kicked off their ‘Anak ng Mekaniko’ scholarship program that aimed to give a scholarship to the deserving children of local auto mechanics.
There will be students selected from each region of the country and they can choose from a selection of courses courtesy of STI Colleges. All they had to do was to submit their application including a letter detailing why they are proud to be a child of an auto mechanic. The scholarship included the tuition fee, miscellaneous fee, and stipends.
“When we started this scholarship program, our goal was to celebrate and put a spotlight on our neighborhood auto mechanics, who we consider unsung heroes who ensure our safety by helping us maintain the tip-top condition of our vehicles,” said Monique Gonzales, Marketing Manager for Southeast Asia of Clorox International Philippines, Inc.
Four years later, these selected students fulfilled their end of the program by finishing their studies on time. It’s exemplary considering the sudden shift to online classes and the hardships brought upon by the pandemic.
The six students are Edmajea Aguinaldo from Makati with a BS in Hospitality Management, Melver Masangkay from Batangas finishing with BS in Computer Engineering, Christian Diamante from Misamis Oriental who was a consistent honor student with a BS in Information Technology. Another IT degree holder was Aulinda Buban from Antipolo who’s a mom scholar and was consistent also with above average grades.
Two achievers both came from Camarines Sur in Bicol. Harvey Plazo graduated with Cum Laude with a degree in Information Technology, is a son of a 28-year auto mechanic. Meanwhile, Anna Raiza Dela Cruz graduated Magna Cum Laude in Hospitality Management while also winning intra-school competitions for cooking and scrabble.
“Having an auto mechanic parent, people would sometimes undermine your dreams due to financial challenges,” said Anna Dela Cruz. “Prestone became a second parent to us scholars, taking care of us these past years, especially amid the pandemic. I’m thankful for Prestone, and even STI Colleges, for giving us hope for our dreams.”
Aside from the commemorative ceremony for the graduates, Prestone also gave them a career preparation workshop to help them be ready for the working world. They were also treated to a relaxing tour at Fort Santiago, Intramuros, and Casa Manila.
You can visit Prestone’s website at www.prestone.com.ph to know more about their products and future programs.